Electric socket



Nov. 22, 1949 s. M. DEL CAMP ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed Aug. 6, 1945 Elma/whom 15' 'ipi ne, Del 0 721 122.

Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Cinch Manufacturing Corporation, ChicagoJlL, a corporation of Illinois Application August 6, 1945, Serial No. 609,212

The present invention relates to electric sockets such as those employed for mounting vacuum tubes and the like and aims generally to improve existing sockets of that type.

One of the objects of the invention is the improvement of electric sockets for vacuum tubes and the like of the so-called lock-in type, wherein one or more prongs of the tube and electrical device are locked in contacting position in the socket.

A further object is the improvement of electric socketsof the lock-in type wherein the distance between the locking point and top surface of the socket may be accurately controlled insuring a proper locking of the tube in the socket.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved socket of the lock-in type wherein the locking device is disposed a maximum distance from the socket contact springs.

A still further object of the invention is to improve the construction of sockets by providing efficient barriers between the contact terminals and between such terminals and the ground connection whereby the socket may adequately withstand high voltages.

The above and other objects of the invention will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing one preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an electric socket as mounted upon a support, for example the chassis of a radio apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the socket embodying my invention; a

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the socket and mounting illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the socket and a portion of an attached tube, as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective View of the tube prong-locking device; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4, but taken through one of the prong-engaging contact openings of the socket on the line E5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the socket member preferably comprises a body ll! of suitable insulating material having an annular bead ii adjacent the upper edge thereof to receive a saddle I2 by means of which the socket may be attached to a support l3, as by screw fastenings l4, rivets or the like.

1 Claim. (Cl. 11 3- 328) thickness.

The body I0 of the socket is provided with a central aperture l5 opening through the top thereof but which is bridged by a bottom wall It (Figs. 4 and 6) preferably of predetermined The body it is also provided with the usual series of contact-receiving openings ll for the reception of the circular series of prongs 2i of a vacuum tube or other electrical de- Vice. It will be understood that these circuit prongs 2i of the tube 29 engage and contact with the socket contacts mounted in the openings H, as is usual with such devices. The tube 29 may be provided with a central positioning and grounding prong 22 adapted to be positioned. in the central opening l5 of the socket, and if desired this prong 22 may be shaped to fit in an irregular shaped opening l5, for example, one provided with a keyway I5 (Fig. 1) to receive the key 22 of the prong 22, so as to properly position the tube in the socket and insure proper electrical connections between respective prongs 2| and socket contacts 25.

The socket contacts 25 may be of any preferred construction to receive and make good electrical contact with the prongs 2|, and preferably the contacts have terminal extensions 26 which may be apertured or otherwise shaped as at 21 to receive the wire or conductor (not shown) of the electrical circuit to which the socket is to be connected.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the contacts 25 and their terminal extensions are completely housed within the marginal confines of the socket body H! and particularly do not extend below the lower face thereof.

Preferably the terminals 26 are individually housed; in outwardly opening recesses 30 formed in the peripheral wall of the body ill and preferably these recesses are separated by intervening partitions 3! extending substantially to the bottom. face of the socket. Thus the terminals are assembled for connecting a lead conductor thereto but are wholly shielded from each other by the partitions 3i and from the ground connection by the body of the socket. This adapts the socket and tube to use in installations operating at high voltages and avoids liability of current gripping between adjacent terminals and between terminals and the ground connection 22.

The tube 2!! or other lectric device is preferably locked in operative position in the socket by means of a fastener member positioned in the socket aperture l5 and having fastening engagement with the prong 22 of the tube. For this purpose the prong 2.2 may be formed with a notched or grooved end 22' to receive the locking fingers 36 of the fastener 35. This fastener 35 conveniently may be of U-shape having a bight or bridge portion 31 and opposed legs 38, the terminal ends of which are formed with looking fingers 36. The fingers 36 may extend through openings H5 in the bottom wall of I 6 of the socket l and the bridge portion 31 fastened to the bottom wall as by a rivet 39. The bridge portion 31 may also be provided with a wiring terminal 40 whereby the plug may be connected to the ground.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides an extremely simple and efiicient lock-in type socket wherein a maximum distance may be maintained and accurately controlled between the locking point and the top surface of the socket as well as between the locking point and the socket prong-engaging contact 25, while mainaining a barrier or shield between adjacent contact terminals and said locking point, In my copending application Serial No. 616,975, filed August 6, 1945, I describe and claim a somewhat similar type of lock-in socket modified in certain respects as will be apparent by reference to said application.

My invention is not, however, to be restricted to the details shown and described, as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

A socket for pronged electrical tubes and the like comprising a body of insulating material formed with an annular series of contact-receiving openings open through the top of said body, an annular series of spaced recesses formed in the peripheral surface of said body below said openings open at the sides thereof, walls of insulating material intermediate said openings and recesses and provided with restricted apertures establishing communication therebetween, ribs of insulating material intermediate and circumferentially separating said recesses, a plurality of prong-engaging contacts insertable in said openings from the top of said body and having blade-like terminal portions extending through said restricted apertures and into said recesses, said recesses and ribs of insulating material extending below the ends of said blade-like terminal portions whereby said prong-receiving contacts are completely housed in said openings and said terminals are circumferentially shielded one from another in said recesses.

SCIPIONE M. DEL CAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,827,533 Martin Oct. 13, 1931 1,850,559 Marshall Mar. 22, 1932 1,973,248 Evans Sept. 11, 1934 2,252,918 Del Camp Aug. 19, 1941 2,269,993 Schmitt Jan. 13, 1942 2,321,470 Draving June 8, 1943 2,332,483 Doty Oct. 19, 1943 2,352,618 Daenz July 4, 1944 2,453,826 Adams Nov. 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 205,341 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1923 523,866 Great Britain July 24, 1940 558,114 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1943 

